By the end of 2010, the city will get multi-storeyed, underground parking lots near Crawford Market and Regal cinema theatre, both in south Mumbai, reports Sujit Mahamulkar.

By the end of 2010, the city will get multi-storeyed, underground parking lots near Crawford Market and Regal cinema theatre, both in south Mumbai.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to dig the two underground, automated parking lots at a cost of Rs 350 crore.

Details of the two parking lot projects were revealed at a pre-bid meeting of the interested parties held by Additional Municipal Commissioner Anil Diggikar on Wednesday.

Twenty private parties have shown interest in creating and operating the lots.

During peak hours, the Regal cinema area needs parking space for about 3,400 vehicles, the Crawford Market area for about 3,000.

The plan is to provide space for 1,700 to 2,000 vehicles at Regal and about 1,500 vehicles at Crawford Market.

“The new automated, underground parking systems will be created through public-private partnership (PPP) and BMC does not expect any profit from it,” Diggikar said. “After completion of these parking lots, there will strictly be a no-parking zone on roads at Regal cinema and near Crawford Market for up to 500-1,000 metres. We expect to give the work order in two-three months and the completion period will be 18 months for both projects.”

The expected cost of the Regal cinema parking lot will be Rs 200 crore and of Crawford Market parking lot, Rs 150 crore.

The parking charges will be up to 25 per cent more than charges at roadside pay-and-park facilities today.

“We will decide charges later,” Diggikar said. “But it will be 20-25 more than current pay-and-park charges.”

The BMC has appointed the Urban Mass Transit Company as the project development adviser, and it will act as the coordinating agency for the projects.